Rapid test system for the mobile detection of waterborne pathogens

Biological contamination in water and supply systems poses a significant risk to health, the environment, and the economy. Pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, or protozoa can cause hygiene problems, production downtimes, and high follow-up costs in drinking water systems, food production, agriculture, healthcare, or the hospitality sector. Operators of such systems are required to carry out regular self-monitoring as part of HACCP concepts. However, the available analytical methods are often specialized for individual pathogen groups, laboratory-based, and only suitable to a limited extent for rapid on-site analyses.

In particular, there is currently a lack of mobile, robust, and at the same time highly sensitive rapid test systems that can detect microbiological contamination directly in water samples while also distinguishing between living and already inactivated microorganisms. This differentiation is crucial for correctly assessing actual health risks and avoiding unnecessary measures. In addition, existing methods reach their limits when dealing with contaminated samples, low pathogen concentrations, or changing pathogen strains.

The project therefore addresses the challenge of developing a universally applicable platform for the rapid, quantitative, and mobile detection of waterborne pathogens. The aim is to combine the advantages of highly sensitive laboratory methods with robust and easy-to-use on-site analytics in order to enable efficient monitoring and management of biological contamination across a wide range of application areas.

The aim of the project is to further develop a mobile rapid test system for the highly sensitive detection of waterborne pathogens and for distinguishing between living and dead microorganisms. In addition, the system is intended to enable quantitative determination of pathogen concentration and improve the long-term stability of the assay reagents, allowing it to be used without a cold chain.

To this end, an existing magnetic detection platform will be expanded with RNA-based isothermal amplification technology. First, pathogens are concentrated from water samples by filtration and/or magnetic enrichment and separated from interfering matrix components. Subsequently, specific RNA target sequences are amplified by RT-LAMP directly within a magnetically readable measurement system. Since mRNA is only present transiently in living cells, this method enables reliable live/dead differentiation for the first time.

As part of the project, various process steps for sample preparation, amplification, quantification, and reagent stabilization will be developed and optimized. In addition, the feasibility of transferring the method to a purely liquid-phase analysis will be investigated in order to enable real-time measurements and further reduce the level of user intervention required. Finally, the system will be validated under real-world conditions and prepared for subsequent industrial exploitation.

The project thus lays the foundation for a universal, mobile platform for contamination monitoring in water management, food production, agriculture, healthcare, and hygiene management. The results are expected to enable faster decision-making, more efficient hygiene measures, and improved safety for operators, authorities, and consumers.